Ryan Divish of The News Tribune profiles the Seattle Seahawks new kicker, 38-year-old Ryan Longwell. The 15-year veteran takes over for Steven Hauschka, who was placed on injured reserve with a calf strain suffered in Seattle’s playoff win last week at Washington.

Longwell sat out this year after being cut in May by Minnesota, who drafted rookie kicker Blair Walsh last April. Signing with the Seahawks is a homecoming of sorts for Longwell, who grew up in nearby Puyallup, Wash., before moving to Bend, Ore., in ninth grade.

Longwell said he’s been working out in Orlando, Fla., waiting for an opportunity.

“It’s kind of fun to come full circle and be back here and hopefully help this team win,” Longwell said. “It’s an honor to put on the helmet that you grew up watching,”

John McGrath of The News Tribune, reporting from the Atlanta Falcons headquarters, says Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan isn’t concerned about his 0-3 record in the playoffs. “We’re a different team, a different group than last year,” is Ryan’s stock reply. The answer could be construed as shallow if it weren’t the whole, undeniable truth: New offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter has installed a diverse, up-tempo attack that resembles nothing the Falcons brought to any of their three playoff defeats since 2008.

Jerry Brewer of The Seattle Times writes that Seattle head coach Pete Carroll is no longer taking the risks and gambles he did in his first season with the Seahawks, and it has paid dividends.

ESPN’s Mike Sando takes a closer look at Russell Wilson’s numbers throwing from inside and outside the pocket. Wilson has thrown 22 of his touchdowns from inside the pocket, five from outside the pocket.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports talks with Jay Matthews, the Colorado Rockies scout who coveted Russell Wilson. Matthews says the same characteristics that have made him a success in his rookie season in the NFL would have propelled him to the major leagues. Matthews:“He’s such a strong-willed and -minded person, if he put his mind to it, he could do it. When all the naysayers told him he’s 5-foot-10, I was saying to myself, ‘Don’t dare say that.’ He’s the kind of person who would prove you wrong. If enough people told him he couldn’t come back and play baseball, he might wake up one day and say, ‘OK, fine. I’ll do it.’ I wouldn’t say anything is impossible for that young man.”

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Gregg Bell joined The News Tribune in July 2014. Bell had been the director of writing for the University of Washington's athletic department for four years. He was the senior national sports writer in Seattle for The Associated Press from 2005-10, covering the Seahawks in their first Super Bowl season and beyond. He's also been The Sacramento Bee's beat writer on the Oakland Athletics and Raiders. The native of Steubenville, Ohio, is a 1993 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and a 2000 graduate of the University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.

The Falcons players have got to be sick of being constantly asked about their playoff futility. It seems to be the only question they get…got that monkey firmly on the back. It has to mess with their heads.

No problem. Now i want the espn media heads to apologize for falsely accusing Sherm or starting that confrontation. After the game they were slamming Sherm saying he is immature and needs to stop acting out. That video that surfaced clearly showed Sherm giving props to the Skins, until big boy TW stepped to him with his helmet ON. That dude is a pansy sore loser (and i’m surprised we havn’t heard that he has been fined or suspended yet). If goodell doesn’t fine him, he has no credibility left with me. But back to Sherm, i’m glad some people realize he was not the one who started that.

The LA Times article clearly pointed out that Sherman’s smack is all an act. Besides, it’s not as though Sherman is doing anything unique. Trash-talking has a long and glorious history in the NFL. Besides, as some have pointed out, it’s not boasting if you can back it up. The ones that complain about it are usually just sore looser’s.

Post Intelligencer headline: “Statistician Nate Silver predicts Seahawks-Patriots rematch in Super Bowl.” Of course, it wouldn’t be a Super Bowl match up, because we’ve never played the Patriots in the Super Bowl. It would, however, be a match up from regular season.

It does seem slow around here considering this is the Hawks biggest game in a couple of years. I’m getting antsy. I really want to see the Hawks come out fired up and attacking.

At least when Russell blocks, he usually picks on someone his own size (ie, Josh Wilson). I don’t think he’ll be going out of his way to take on linebackers. He’s a smart kid. I would like to see him plant Asante Samuel on his ass.

Although the Falcons will attack him, I don’t think Carroll is going to leave Irvin out on a island at DE, at least in running situations. He’ll be switching him up with Scruggs and moving him around, most likely.

pabs – If you’re a winner, people will come to your side if he’s a ‘winner’ on your favorite team. I sure would be mad if I were a fan of some team with a loser QB though and your team passed on this guy for 2+ rounds last spring.

There are clubs you wish you could trade draft picks with aren’t there! I’ll bet that Jacksonville, Oakland, KC, NYJ, and a few others will pick ahead of the Seahawks every year for years and years to come. Those are all teams with bozo management.

A good record starts at the top and works it’s way down to the players rather than the other way around. I’m so happy that Paul Allen hired JS&PC and trusts them enough to let them take chances and work their magic.

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